Decode
by KagomeMiroku
Summary: Luna is tired of being constantly picked on that she ends up running into the Forbidden Forest, and someone comes to help her. Luna/Neville. R


Decode

**A/N: I, in no ways, own Harry Potter, Luna or Neville, but I do love the pairing Luna/Neville, it's really sweet! My friend and I really found chemistry between them somehow, and I just felt like I needed to write about them.**

To be frank, I had never really actually liked a boy before, not saying that I didn't like boys, I just never found one who fit my liking. Of course, not many applicants were to be found anywhere, considering just about the whole school liked to jeer at me, and take my things, and call me crazy. But I wasn't crazy, and I had feelings, not like other people cared, but that was them. It's not like I ever gave on to caring about how other people thought of me, I acted quite oblivious really, and just went on with my beliefs. But one can only be pushed too far...

Everyone at school made fun of me, and that was fine for them, not like I could've related to a single being in that entire school, not like that mattered. I didn't go to school to socialize anyway, I went to learn about my origin and be myself, although not many people liked who I was. I restate, that that didn't matter at all. But sometimes, acceptance really is what we all crave inside, right?

Like any other afternoon during supper, after all classes for the day, I was sitting alone at my Ravenclaw table, reading my father's newspaper, The Quibbler, and just really thinking like I usually did. Brainpower was the greatest of all powers, of course. I was sitting there, taking small nibbles of the plate of potatoes I set in front of me, not really in the mood for the meal, but eating was a necessary; when suddenly, these Slytherin boys were passing me.

By far, they were older than I, perhaps Fourth-Sixth Years, and before I knew it, they were jeering at me, just like everyone else did.

"'ey lookit 'ere, Goyle, it's Looney Lovegood."

That was the most commonly used name to determine who I was. "Looney" Lovegood. It was my identity, Luna "Looney" Lovegood. Even the teachers sometimes tended to utter it out, oblivious to the fact that I only acted oblivious, and tried to seem as though I didn't care, even though it really did hurt. Many things hurt. Losing my mother at such a crucial age and seeing her die, I was living a rough life, and school wasn't too grand either. Along with daddy's newspaper... But not like anyone really cared about Looney Lovegood, I was giving up on her myself. One could only stay strong for so long.

"Ooh, Looney Lovegood!" shrieked the heavy set boy who was with the other, as he took my newspaper away from me. "Gunna git dose made-up creatures affer me?"

"They aren't made up, and I'd appreciate it if you would hand me my paper back please." I said: cool, calm, collected.

"I dun tink so, little Looney. Ya betta stop being such a loon, ya know?"

They were stupid, and were picking on me. I'm sure that the cretins couldn't tell the difference between an Polyjuice Potion and a love potions, which was fairly easy even for a First year. But I stayed calm, knowing that I was being the better person. Maybe I could've just got daddy to send me another copy, and they could bask in the facts of the Quibbler. Of course I knew they wouldn't.

"Keep it." I said and began walking to the grand doors. "Maybe you two could learn a thing or two."

It wasn't like me to be mean to someone, knowing what it was like to be picked on every waking moment of the day, but sometimes I wasn't myself at all. It was like I had an alter-ego, and Dr. Jekyll inside me who only came out on rare occasions. I didn't very much like this alter-ego, but sometimes she could be useful.

"Whaddid you say?" yelled the taller of the boys.

I just kept walking, but took on a faster pace, hearing them follow up behind me. Finally, I exited onto the grounds, not a wise choice for a lonely, Ravenclaw weirdo.

"Hey you! Looney! Ya betta turn aroun', ya hear?" yelled the shorted one, I guessed.

Then I stopped. I was tired of being picked on. I hated living like that. No matter how much I could seem like it didn't bother me, I knew deep inside my heart that it killed me bit by bit, being friendless, being weird, being Looney. Harry Potter was luckier than I was, he at least had people caring about him, all I had was my dad!

"Why don't you two just leave me alone!" My normal tone was long gone, and I was just so done with being picked on, I ran away down into the forest, although I wasn't supposed to be there. It was a comfort in a way, and then I saw flashing lights from behind me on the grounds. Maybe the buffoons were aiming at me, but I didn't quite care. I decoded that it didn't matter really, wondering how I got in this predicament, no one else cared.

"Luna!"

I could tell by the voice that it was Neville Longbottom. That sweet, clumsy Gryffindor boy who seemed to always be getting into some sort of damage. Neville was one of the few who never picked on me. He was kind to me when I passed him in the halls, but we didn't ever really speak much.

"Luna!"

He repeated again. I wasn't surprised to not hear "looney" and I was also glad that he didn't call me such. It was painful to hear it from anyone really, but it was nice to not. So I turned around with some sleepy grin most-likely, although I could tell I was crying. Neville had chased after me.

When he came into distance of me, he realized that I was crying, and put his hands on my shoulders and used one of them to wipe away my tears.

"Luna, are you okay?" he asked concerned, looking at me with this content look.

I nodded, then I shook my head. "I..I don't know. I'm Looney Lovegood, so I guess I've never been...okay." Was my response, as I stood their still crying. It was weird, to cry again. Like the last time I had cried was when my mother had died. But then again, it felt right to be crying, right beside Neville.

"You're anything but Looney, Luna." said Neville, smiling so reassuringly that I had to smile back.

And then I hugged him, and he hugged me. It was then that I figured that it was possible to finally find one worthy to like, and his name was Neville Longbottom.


End file.
